The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method of adjusting the texture data amount of data expressing a three-dimensional virtual space.
In forming data expressing a three-dimensional virtual space on a computer, the reality with which the virtual space is actually experienced is important. However, the reality has a trade-off relationship with the level of speed performance by which this virtual space is experienced. Therefore, data editing which takes the both factors into consideration is necessary. For example, textures with a high resolution are used to obtain an image with a high reality, but the texture memory capacity of the hardware used is limited. If the total amount of texture data used in drawing one frame in a three-dimensional virtual space exceeds this memory capacity, the performance abruptly decreases.
General examples of the methods used to solve this problem are as follows.
(1) The drawing range of each three-dimensional object to be rendered is set, and no drawing is performed outside the range. PA1 (2) The number of polygons of geometric data expressing a three-dimensional object is reduced. PA1 (3) The amount (to be referred to as the texture amount hereinafter) of texture data mapped on the surfaces of a three-dimensional object is reduced.
In Method (1), an efficient virtual experience is possible because a three-dimensional object which cannot be seen from a certain viewpoint or along a certain line of sight is not rendered. However, it is very difficult to set the drawing range of each three-dimensional object. Additionally, when this method is used singly, there is almost no effect for drawing at a viewpoint from which an entire three-dimensional virtual space can be seen.
Method (2) requires complicated algorithms for changing the existing geometric data and increases the amount of calculations. Therefore, Method (2) is not practical either.
Method (3) is most effective in improving the speed performance. However, there is no index indicating a texture to be reduced and the amount of the reduction, and the effect of the adjustment is not easily confirmed.